


Territorial Marking

by mourninghope (orphan_account)



Category: Teen Wolf (TV)
Genre: Alpha/Beta/Omega Dynamics, Knotting, M/M, Omega!Stiles, Young!Derek Hale, alpha!Derek
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2014-06-26
Updated: 2014-06-26
Packaged: 2018-02-06 08:30:06
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 6
Words: 5,021
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1851382
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/orphan_account/pseuds/mourninghope
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>A month after his rescue, a  young Derek Hale finds himself living with the Stilinskis and falling for Stiles who's changing in unexpected ways after his time as the Nogitsune.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> I've been trying to write for days. I have literally twenty little snippets to pour over but this is the first one that surpassed the 600 word mark. So I'm going to give it a try. Let me know what ya'll think. Comments, questions and constructive criticism is, as always, welcomed!

“I don’t know what to do here. I mean everything’s different now, Scott.” Stiles sighed and rolled his lower lip between his teeth. “He’s seventeen. Seventeen! And he’s… He’s softer somehow. Vulnerable. Beautiful. And we don’t know if this is permanent! He’s Derek but he’s not and I’m so messed up. I don’t know what to do.”

“What do you want to do, Stiles? I mean, what about Malia?” Scott dragged the desk chair closer to the bed and sat down, leaning forward to put his hands on Stiles’ knees, stilling their anxious jiggling.

“I don’t know! Malia’s my friend and yeah, we’ve kissed but…” Groaning, Stiles scrubbed a hand against the back of his neck. “Okay so, maybe when I was in the hospital, during the whole Nogitsune thing, we did a little more than kiss. I just. I like her. She’s… She’s unique, I guess and yeah, she’s pretty and an alpha but she’s not… I just don’t.” He shrugged helplessly and lifted his head to meet Scott’s wide-eyed gaze.

“She’s not, him,” the alpha said succinctly, rubbing his hands over Stiles’ trembling thighs.

“No. She’s not. Then again, he’s not him right now either.” Stiles blew out a breath and leaned away from Scott as his bedroom door opened.

“You realize that _he_ can hear you right?” Derek leaned in the doorframe, arms folded across his chest, brows lowered over bright hazel eyes.

“Uh, yeah. Sorry,” Scott said, standing. “Look, I’m gonna leave you two to talk. I think you need to.” He clapped Stiles on the shoulder then turned, skirting around Derek and into the hall. 

Derek slipped into the room and closed the door behind him, leaning back against it with a sigh. “So this is awkward.” 

“Just a bit,” Stiles agreed, laying back on the bed and putting his arms beneath his head. “Forgot you could hear me. Look… I’m sorry. I am, I just…”   
“Were we close,” Derek asked as he spun the desk chair and straddled it, bracing his arms against the back.

Snorting, Stiles rolled to his side and propped himself up on one elbow. “I don’t even know how to answer that.”

Derek frowned and rolled closer, his knees hitting the edge of the bed; he could feel the warmth of Stiles’ skin, shuddered when the teen’s forearm brushed the knob of his bare knee. “Try. Please?”

“At first we didn’t get along at all. There was a lot of growling and shoving.” He idly played his fingers along the black satin edge of Derek’s basketball shorts. “You growled and shoved and I snarked. Saved each other’s lives a few times. I didn’t know what to make of you most of the time, all somber and dark and brooding but compelling too.”

“So, basically, I was a dick, huh?” Derek licked the full curve of his lower lip and shifted in the chair, pressing his knee against the back of Stiles’ hand; he exhaled sharply when the lanky teen turned his hand and cupped the tight muscle of his calf.

“A beautiful, tortured dick,” Stiles mused, dancing his fingers down the alpha’s long leg. “You built this wall around yourself. Didn’t let anybody in, except for the people that no sane person would let in. You worked especially hard to keep me, to keep all of us out, really.” 

“Your dad and Scott… They told me about the fire. About Kate and Jennifer. Told me about the Nogitsune. Are you okay? After what happened, I mean?” He shivered as Stiles scratched blunt nails down his shin.

“I’m good. But, uh, something about it… About having that thing squatting inside me, changed me. I’m not a beta anymore.” He sighed, and let his hand drop, fingertips just brushing the top of Derek’s bare foot.

The alpha tipped his head to one side and lifted his foot, pressing it into Stiles’ palm. “People just don’t change gender, Stiles.” 

“They do now, apparently. Deaton waxed eloquent about how trauma can effect a person’s physiology; said that this is especially true of betas who are trapped in a kind of no-man’s land between alpha and omega.”

“Deaton’s full of crap. I’ve always thought so,” Derek said, flashing Stiles a bright grin before sobering. “But, uh, I gotta admit, you don’t smell like a beta. Don’t quite smell like an omega either.” 

“He said that exposure to a compatible alpha would make it happen faster but that the physiological changes were almost complete.” Stiles laughed a little hysterically and sat up; he pulled his knees to his chest and wrapped his arms around his calves. “My dick is shrinking and my balls are just… They’re gone. It’s all smooth skin there. Shit.”

“Hey, easy.” Derek stood, kicking the chair away before sitting on the bed next to Stiles. He wrapped an arm around the other teen’s shoulder and nosed gently at his temple. “I get that older me was a dick to you but… Honestly, Stiles. I’m not him. I don’t remember how things were before Scott pulled me out of that hole. Personally, I think you’re amazing. You’re smart and funny and sarcastic as all hell. You’re my friend and I’ll be here. Help you get through this. Okay?” 

“Yeah. Okay.” Nodding, Stiles pulled away from Derek. “I… I need to get some sleep, man. See you in the morning?”

“Yeah. Who else is gonna bring me to school?” Derek smiled and shoved Stiles down onto the bed and pulled the covers over him. “Night.” 

Stiles blushed and cuddled under the blankets as Derek slipped out of the room, closing the door behind him. 

+++  
 **One Week Later**

“Dude! Basketball?” Stiles bumped his shoulder into Derek’s and snatched the ball out of the alpha’s hands, spinning it between his palms.

“Well, yeah. Did you think I was going to try out for lacrosse,” Derek asked, slinging his arm over Stiles’ shoulders. “Honestly, Stiles, that’s a rough sport and I don’t think I could handle watching you get your ass handed to you. Even if I wouldn’t mind being the one to hand it to you during practice.” 

Snorting, Stiles shrugged out of Derek’s grasp and spun to face him, dribbling the ball as he walked backwards down the hall, careful to keep it out of Derek’s grasp as the alpha made a play for it. “I do not get my ass handed to me on the field!”

“Stiles, you rarely even get to play,” Derek said, laughing. “At least, that’s what Scott said. You sit on the bench more often than not.” 

Stiles flushed hotly and fumbled the ball; Derek caught it and tucked it beneath his arm before spinning Stiles around and draping an arm across his shoulders. “Sorry. I’m sorry,” Derek muttered. “That was dickish of me.”

“You think?” Stiles bared his teeth, snapping them an inch from Derek’s cheek. “Just like old times.” 

“Hey, I’m sorry.” Sighing, Derek dropped his arm. “You uh… You wanna come watch tryouts? I could definitely use the moral support.”

“Yeah. I guess.” Stiles shrugged. “Hey, what’s with you being all, Mr. Touchy-feely?”

“You started it but even if you hadn’t, I don’t think I could help myself,” he admitted softly, tucking his chin to his chest as he tugged Stiles back into his side. “You’re vulnerable right now and your scent is thickening… I guess I’m just feeling over protective.” 

Stiles relaxed and hesitantly slipped his arm around Derek’s hips. “Protective my ass. You’re marking your territory, you mean. Not that I’m your territory,” he amended settling more tightly against Derek’s side.

Derek hummed softly. “Would you rather be Malia’s territory? I hear getting mauled by a feral coyote alpha is all the rage these days.” 

“Point,” Stiles muttered, snorting inelegantly.   
+++  
“You did it!” Grinning, Stiles tackled Derek in a hug, laughing when the sweaty alpha spun him in a tight circle before setting him on his feet.

Derek laughed, panting and smacked a wet kiss to Stiles’ cheek. “I did, didn’t I?” Derek smiled widely and stepped back, his hands on Stiles’ hips. “Meet you at the jeep in fifteen? I need to get a shower. I stink!”

“Okay. Be fast.” Stiles licked his lips and darted forward, kissing Derek chastely. “Oh, and just an FYI? I think you smell amazing,” he murmured as he stepped away to grab their bags.

Derek shook his head, smiling softly, and joined his team in the locker room to get cleaned up.

Ten minutes later, he jogged out to the parking lot, grinning when he spied Stiles sprawled across the hood of the jeep, soaking up the sun. He slowed to a walk as he neared the jeep and slipped into the space between Stiles’ knees, settling his hands on the other’s thighs. “Hey, you.” 

“Hi. You’re getting a little brave there, don’tcha think?” Stiles played his long fingers over the back of Derek’s hands as he slowly opened his eyes. 

“Mm, forward maybe.” Tangling their fingers together, Derek leaned down and kissed the tip of Stiles’ nose. Straightening, he hauled the other upright and dipped his head to nose at Stiles’ throat. “Really can’t help myself.” 

“Huh.” Stiles let his head fall back, shivering as Derek licked a slow stripe up his throat. “Maybe you could help yourself long enough for us to get home?” 

“Mnn… Maybe?” Derek nipped the soft skin just behind Stiles’ ear and reluctantly straightened.


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Just an FYI: I love you guys. You're awesome and keep me going. Thank you for sticking with me and reading! <3

“So, Dad just texted me.” Stiles curled up on the couch and tucked his toes beneath Derek’s thigh. “He’s working a double so we’re on our own for the night.”

“Oh?” Derek started the DVD and dropped the remote before curling one hand over the top of Stiles’ ankles. 

“Yeah. Guess something came up down at the station. He stopped home at lunch and left twenty-five on the table. Guess we can order pizza or something.” Stiles shrugged, smiling at Derek as the alpha stroked lazy circles over his anklebone. 

“So… We gonna talk about this? Older you didn’t use his words but you… You do. Most of the time.” Stiles scooted closer and pulled his knees to his chest, resting his chin against them.

“What’s there to talk about Stiles? I like you. Honestly, the more I think about it, the more I think older me probably did too. It’s just that he… _I_ have scruples. You’re eighteen. I was in my mid-twenties.” He shrugged. “Plus, you know, your dad’s the sheriff. That makes for all kinds of awkward.” Derek turned to fully face Stiles, mimicking the other’s pose and spreading his knees to rest on either side of Stiles’.

“Plus, I know that it’s hard for male alphas to form sexual or mating bonds with male betas. The inability to procreate kinda dampens the necessary hormone production,” Stiles murmured, sighing. 

“Yeah. Plus, even with this whole change you’re going through, if I were still him, older me… Whatever. I probably wouldn’t have admitted to anything. So this is for the best, yeah?” Derek smiled gently, his hazel eyes brightening, and ran a hand through Stiles’ hair.

“And what happens if I go into heat and we bond and then this gets fixed? Will we still be bonded? Would you break the bond? I mean, what if you don’t remember everything that happens while you’re like this? You’d flip. Older you, I mean, would flip. It would be angst central.” 

“I don’t know, Stiles. Honestly though? I don’t want to worry about it. I don’t want to lose the time I have with you. You’re the only good thing right now. Scott and the rest, they’re cool but they just stare at me all sad and pitying. You don’t. I know you think of the other Derek sometimes but for the most part when you look at me, I’m all you see.” He leaned forward slowly and rolled his knees beneath him so he could set his chin on Stiles’, their foreheads touching.

Stiles smiled, going cross-eyed to meet Derek’s gaze. “Yeah. I do see you and I’m really scared that I’m going to lose you. I miss him but I didn’t have with him what I have with you.” 

“What do you mean,” Derek asked, busking his nose against Stiles’. 

“We were friends. Kinda. You and me though, we’re more than kinda friends. Maybe more than friends.” He frowned, hands flailing. “If that makes any kind of sense.”

“I think I got it,” Derek murmured before gently kissing Stiles. “C’mon. Let’s leave off this heavy talk. Let’s order pizza, watch a movie and make out like a couple of horny teenagers, okay?” 

“I swear, you have the best ideas!” Laughing, Stiles dug his phone out of his pocket and placed the order while Derek restarted the DVD.

Smiling, the alpha tugged Stiles into his arms and settled back against the corner of his couch, Stiles’ back resting against his chest, his arms tight around the other’s waist. He tucked his face against the long line of Stiles’ throat and laved the smooth skin with slow strokes of his tongue before sucking a bruise into the paleness. 

Stiles whined and clutched at Derek’s forearms, letting his head loll against the alpha’s shoulder. “Oh, yeah… I definitely have the best ideas,” he murmured, turning to nip along Derek’s jaw as the alpha lifted his head. He laughed as Derek licked the tip of his nose, then sighed as their lips met, stroking back and forth slowly.

Humming, Derek licked Stiles’ mouth open and stroked his tongue inside. The sweet, sharp taste of the omega burst over his taste buds as Stiles met his tongue with his own. Derek broke the kiss, panting when a knock sounded at the door. “Oh, God, Stiles…. Uh. You should get that,” he murmured, flushing when Stiles snorted. “Don’t think I can walk just now.” 

“I got it.” Stiles swallowed his laughter and bounded to the door, shoving the cash at the pizza delivery guy and grabbing the pizza. “Thanks!” He slammed the door closed and locked it, tossing the pizza to the coffee table before throwing himself into Derek’s lap. “Now. Where were we?” 

Derek laughed brightly and settled his hands on Stiles’ hips, shifting the other’s weight until his ass was pressing firmly against the alpha’s heavy cock. Groaning, he dropped his head back against the couch and closed his eyes. “Oh, fuck. Stiles…” 

Stiles squirmed, gasping when Derek’s hands spasmed against his hips. “Derek,” he whispered, rubbing his cheek to the alpha’s. “I, uh…” He flushed and rose up on his knees, sliding a hand between his slim thighs, fingers stroking over damp denim. “Oh, God. I’m wet,” he said shakily. 

Growling softly, Derek opened his eyes and stroked his hands gently up Stiles’ sides. “Shh. We knew this would happen eventually, Stiles.” 

“Yeah. Eventually! Not, not yet.” Stiles breath hitched and he paled as Derek shifted their position so that Stiles was sitting across his knees.

“Breathe, Stiles. C’mon, breathe with me,” he murmured, placing one hand on Stiles’ chest, the other between his shoulder blades. “Deaton said it would happen faster if you were around compatible alphas. It just means that we’re compatible. C’mon. Breathe, hon. Breathe with me.” He stroked soothing circles against Stiles’ back, breathing slow and deep; he pressed his nose to Stiles’ temple, smiling softly as the other teen began to relax. 

“Y-you’re right. Yeah.” Stiles exhaled slowly. “You’re right. Just means we’re compatible.” He dropped his head against Derek’s shoulder, trembling softly. “That means I’m going to go into heat soon…”

“Yeah. Yeah it does.” Derek pressed a kiss to Stiles’ temple and cuddled the teen into his chest.


	3. Chapter 3

“Deaton? Deaton you here? Doc?” Stiles rapped his knuckles against the counter, bouncing his weight from foot to foot.

“Just a moment, Mr. Stilinski,” Deaton called from somewhere at the back of the clinic. Sighing, Stiles rested his weight against the counter, legs trembling, tightly clutching his elbows. 

“Sorry to keep you waiting.” Deaton offered Stiles a gentle smile and opened the partition, gesturing the teen back.

“It’s okay. I just… Things are progressing faster than I thought and I’m… I want to know what to expect.” Stiles jammed his hands in his pockets and headed back to the exam room. 

“Ah. Well, we’ll take a look today. I’m going to do some blood work and I’ll need to do an exam, of course. Go ahead and put on the gown. I’ll be back in a minute.” Deaton closed the door behind himself, leaving Stiles to strip and slip into the annoying, open back gown.

+++

“Alright, then. Go ahead and get dressed,” Deaton said as he tugged off the nitrile gloves. “I’m going to get the blood work started and then, when I come back, I’ll need to ask you a few questions.” 

“Yeah. Okay.” Stiles sighed as Deaton left the room and dressed as quickly as possible; he was perched on the edge of another horrid plastic chair tying his sneakers as Deaton came back in. 

“Well, Mr. Stilinski, you are indeed progressing faster than I’d anticipated,” Deaton said as he sat on the little rolling stool. “Far faster, in fact.” Sighing, Deaton rubbed one finger over his eyebrow. 

“How much faster?” Stiles straightened slowly and pushed himself back into the chair.

“That’s what we’re going to find out. I need to ask you a couple of questions. Please answer honestly, if you would.”

“Yeah. Okay.” Stiles nodded and rested his elbows on his thighs, letting his hands dangle between his legs. 

“First, what prompted the visit? You weren’t due to come in for another month.” 

“I uh… Well.” He sighed. “Derek and I were making out and uh… I got wet, y’know? Slick.”   
“Alright.” Deaton jotted down a quick note. “How slick would you say you were, Stiles?” 

“Uh. Damp. Nothing like I’d thought.” Flushing, he dragged a hand through his hair. “It was noticeable though. My jeans were damp.” 

“First test I ran was on your hormone levels. They’re high. I’d say, you’re likely to go into heat within the next two weeks.” Pausing, Deaton regarded Stiles tenderly. “If you could have Derek come in, I may be able to get a better read.” 

“Why would you need to check, Der?” Stiles frowned and rubbed at the back of his neck.

“It’s likely his pheromone production has increased in response. It will be easier for me to get an accurate read from him as he’s a born alpha.” 

“Okay. Yeah. I’ll ask him to come in. Thanks, Doc.”

“You’re very welcome, Mr. Stilinski.” 

+++

Derek slumped onto the couch beside Stiles. “So. Saw Deaton,” he said slowly. 

“Yeah? And?” Stiles squirmed around to face the alpha, brows inching upward.

“My pheromone and hormone levels are almost off the charts.” Derek slid gentle fingers along Stiles’ calf, rubbing idly up and down. 

“So, that means what?” Sighing, Stiles shifted closer and Derek turned, tucking one leg along the back of the couch behind Stiles as he wrapped his arms around the omega.

“You’re probably going to go into heat within the next week. So I figure,” Derek murmured, tucking Stiles beneath his chin while he rubbed soothing circles on the teen’s back, “that we should probably talk to your dad. Make arrangements.” 

“Arrangements,” Stiles mused, twisting his fingers in the hem of Derek’s t-shirt. “That sounds kind of clinical, doesn’t it? Not… Not as romantic as the movies make it out to be.” 

Derek bit his lips to keep from laughing and rubbed his cheek against the top of Stiles’ head. “I’m not sure how a biological function can be romantic,” he admitted. “I think it’s what comes before and after that’s romantic. The rest is… It’s biology, Stiles.”

“Why can’t it be both,” Stiles whined as he butted his nose against Derek’s jaw. “This is hard, y’know? It was just kind of a… It wasn’t real until yesterday. Shrinking cock and vanishing balls aside.”

“Seriously? That part didn’t bother you but the making slick thing did?” Derek pulled back to peer into Stiles’ gorgeous, amber eyes.

“Well yeah. It… I can’t even explain it, Der. The other physical changes were external, y’know? This… This is the first indication that I’m changing inside.”

“You know that I’m going to be here for all of it, right? Every step of the way, Stiles. He would be too you know. I don’t see how he’d be able to stay away,” Derek whispered before lowering his head to kiss Stiles, again and again; soft, warm, chaste presses of his lips.


	4. Chapter 4

“So. You wanted to talk to me, Derek?” John leaned back in his chair, long legs sprawled wide as he regarded the young alpha. 

Derek flushed, squirming beneath the Sheriff’s steady gaze. “Yes, sir. It’s about Stiles, sir.” 

“Oh?” John smiled, a sharp show of even white teeth, and leaned forward, bracing his forearms on his cluttered desk. “What about my, son, Hale?” 

Shoulders hunching, Derek slid down in the chair, lowering himself until the top of his head was even with the Sheriff’s chin. He flicked his eyes upward, tension easing from his frame at the almost teasing light in the older alpha’s eyes. “Has he kept you informed of the… The, uh, changes he’s going through, sir?” 

“No. But I can smell it. Also, Deaton has kept me apprised of the situation, just in case he goes into a heat spiral.”

“Heat spiral,” Derek asked with a frown, jerking his eyes up to John’s. 

“Deaton hasn’t fully explained it to me, because quite frankly, I don’t want to know the details. I do know that it’s rare, even for born omegas. The chances of it happening to Stiles are slim. If, however, it happens, he’ll have to be sedated. Likely, so will you.” John sighed and straightened, allowing Derek to ease out of his slouch. “Talk to Deaton. Do it soon. Just in case.”

“Soon, sir?” Derek frowned, brows drawing tight over the bridge of his nose.

“Today, son. Talk to Deaton today. Stiles’ heat will likely start within the next forty-eight hours. I woke up last night to my son gorging himself on raw beef, venison and an insane amount of sugar last night. I’m honestly glad you were at Scott’s.”

Color drained from Derek’s face and he stood, chair scraping along the floor. “I’ll uh… I’ll go talk to the doctor now sir. If I may?”

John nodded once, pushing to his feet as Derek fled the office. He sagged, grabbed his phone, and leaned his hip against the edge of his desk. “Deaton,” he barked into the receiver. “I sure as hell hope you know what you’re doing. I scared the shit out of the kid. He’s on his way to the clinic now. Yeah. No. I get it. You’re sure that fixing Derek will revert the changes to my son? Okay. Proceed then.”


	5. Chapter 5

Derek strode into the clinic, letting the door swing shut behind him. Derek frowned. The clinic’s cozy waiting room was empty and no receptionist sat behind the desk. A thick, biting scent lingered in the air and Derek lifted his head, nostrils flaring, to drag in a hard lungful. He coughed, eyes instantly watering, and tumbled to the floor. The last thing he saw as his eyes fluttered closed were Deaton’s worn black loafers as the doctor slipped around the teen’s body to lock the door.

“Welcome back, Mr. Hale,” Deaton said softly as he leaned into Derek’s field of vision. “How are you feeling?”

“Like I got hit by a semi full of wolfsbane. What happened, Deaton?” 

Smiling, Deaton helped Derek sit up, stepping back as he swung his legs off the exam table. “Nothing to worry too much about. Tell me, Derek, what is the last thing you remember?”

“Talking to the Sheriff. He said you had something…” Derek trailed off, brow furrowing. “He said,” Derek paused and tried to clear his throat. 

“Derek?” 

“I sound funny,” the alpha muttered, lifting his hands. He turned them slowly, stretching and curling the long, blunt fingers; studied the broad, bigger than he remembered palms. “Oh my, God,” he rasped, surging to his feet. “What did you do, Deaton?” 

“Oh dear.” Sighing, Deaton retreated to the far side of the small room. “It would seem that, though I was able to restore your physical body to its previous condition, I was unable to restore your memories of the time before Mexico.” He picked up a pair of sweats and tossed them at the trembling alpha. 

Derek caught the sweats and clumsily tugged them on, pausing briefly to glance at his cock – quite a bit bigger than he remembered. “God,” the alpha groaned, leaning back against the exam table. 

“I’m sure, given time, I will be able to correct this, Derek. In the meantime, I’d like to take a blood sample. I need to know if correcting your physiological age has changed your hormone production.” 

“Why?”

“Well, we do need to know if you are still nearing your rut, Mr. Hale.” Deaton sucked briefly at his teeth, then turned away to dig through a drawer.

“No. Why did you do this without my consent?” Derek dug his hands into his hair, tugging at it again and again. 

“The Sheriff and I felt it was for the best. For both you and Stiles.” 

“What gives you the right to decide that?” Derek bit the words out between clenched teeth and blinked furiously, chasing away the threatening tears. 

“Stiles is still, technically, a minor. He was also born a beta and it was our hope that correcting what was done to you would, in turn, reverse the physiological changes Stiles is going through. It is what his father wants, Mr. Hale.” 

“But no one asked him, did they? No one asked me either. No one asked what I wanted!” Derek snarled and snapped out a hand, fingers wrapping around Deaton’s throat. He squeezed, briefly, then shoved the Doctor away, grinning in satisfaction as the man’s head connected with the wall. He waited as Deaton slid to the floor, then bolted.


	6. Chapter 6

Derek ran until sweat poured down his sides. He ran until his heart sounded like thunder in his ears and his breath was a harsh rasp in his throat. The young alpha, in an adult alpha’s body, ran until the Preserve wrapped its cool, dark arms around him, sheltering him from the sun and from prying eyes. Instinctively, he avoided the tumbled down ruin of the old house and headed instead for an old, towering pine whose branches bent so low they swept the ground. He crept beneath the boughs and curled up at the base of the tree, bark rough and sticky against his back.   
**  
“He what?” John slammed his office door and turned sharply on his heel to glare at Deaton. 

“He ran, John.” Deaton rubbed his throat as he sank into a chair. “I thought he might kill me. All the strength of an adult alpha with none of the control. He was extremely upset. Understandably so.”

“So what you’re telling me, Deaton, is that you were able to restore his body to what it was, but his mind is still that of a seventeen year old kid going into his first rut?” 

“Yes, John. That would be what I’m telling you,” Deaton murmured, shifting in his seat to watch the Sheriff as the other man stalked to the far side of the desk. “I expected, that once complete, the ritual would restore Mr. Hale to his previous self as I used a blood sample from before Mexico. He should have remembered nothing of his current relationship with your son.” 

“But he does. He remembers everything that’s happened since Mexico and nothing of the man he was prior.” Sighing, John sat down heavily and propped his elbows on the edge of the desk, dropping his face into his hands. “Awesome.” 

“John… It’s likely that, once he’s reconciled himself to his situation, he’ll seek out Stiles. I doubt he’ll be able to help himself.” 

“Yeah. And it’s likely, given Stile’s high caloric intake and moodiness that, short of locking my kid in a cell, I’m not going to be able to do anything to keep him from trying to find Hale. Fuck! I just wanted to fix this. It’s not that Stiles going omega is bad, per se, but still… Any idea where Hale might have gone? I doubt he headed into town, not yet.” 

“Chances are he’s on the Preserve somewhere. I highly doubt, even given his state of mind, that he went to the house.” Deaton fished a small pill pack out of his pocket. “Given the circumstances John, I think it best if you give these to Stiles. Make sure he takes them all.”

John lifted his head and glared at the doctor. “And those are?” 

“Contraceptives. Extremely high dose.”

“Fuck.” 

“Exactly, Sheriff.”

**

“Stiles?” John unbuckled his belt as he kicked the door closed. “Kiddo? I’m home.”

“Hey, Dad.” Stiles waived from his prone position on the couch before levering himself up. “You seen, Der?” 

“Not since this morning, son.” Sighing, John sat down beside his son, nostrils flaring at the heavy, sweet scent pouring off the teen. 

“Oh.” Stiles let his head thump against the back of the couch and squirmed, rubbing one hand over his lower abdomen. 

“You okay,” John asked, turning to face his son. 

“Feel funny. Empty and kinda sore.”

“You’re going into heat, kiddo.” Frowning, John pulled the small pack of pills from his pocket. “You need to take these. All of them. Then take a shower and go lay down. I’ll try and find Derek,” he murmured, reaching out to run a hand through Stiles’ hair. “But uh…” The Sheriff trailed off. “Yeah. Take these and go rest. I’ll find him.” 

“What are they,” Stiles asked, peeling his eyes open as he took the pill pack.

“Contraceptives. No arguments,” John said in a rush as Stiles opened his mouth. “Just take them. Hopefully, I’ll be back in an hour or so.”


End file.
